


Coming Home

by RyDyKG



Series: rollercoasters (dsmp bootcamp fics) [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Baby Floris | Fundy, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Good Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Grief/Mourning, Hugs, Implied Wilbur Soot/Sally the Salmon, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Angst, Marigold is pre-transition Fundy’s name, Platonic ABO, Scenting, Sleepy Bois Inc Fluff, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Twins Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, Wilbur Soot is Floris | Fundy's Parent, Winged Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), although those don’t really come into play other than scents, he’s like 3 years old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 00:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30097332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyDyKG/pseuds/RyDyKG
Summary: After many years away from his family, Wilbur returns home, this time with an extra person in tow.It’s time to take little Marigold to meet her family.(Week 1, Prompt 2: Hugging)
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Phil Watson, Floris | Fundy & TommyInnit, Floris | Fundy & WIlbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Floris | Fundy & Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Series: rollercoasters (dsmp bootcamp fics) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2214864
Comments: 4
Kudos: 145
Collections: DSMP Big Bang Bootcamp





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be a book for all the bootcamp fics but I decided to make a series instead because *glances at wordcount* I think I might go overboard.
> 
> for the clarification, marigold is pre-transition fundy. he’s like 3 in this, I’m pretty sure people don’t transition at such a young age (and this isn’t me being transphobic in any way, it’s just me doubting that a three year old would know enough to decide their gender for themselves).
> 
> to zero and cedar: here, have your apology for my ‘bamboozlement’ ;)

The chilly autumn air hit his bare hands, as Wilbur breathed in the ever-familiar faint scent of his father’s cherry pie sitting on the windowsill. He could see his childhood home at a distance, in all of its three-storey cottage-like glory.

He missed his family so, so much. While he didn’t regret leaving his home, he did regret not coming back more often. But Sally had needed him, especially in the late stages of her pregnancy, and he knew that his family was no stranger to long periods of absence.

Sally…

The mere thought of his late wife almost sent him to tears once more. Neither of them had noticed her declining health until it was too late, until it left Wilbur standing alone at a grave decorated with white lilies and statice flowers — the latter of which had always been Sally’s favourite — with tears flowing down his eyes, holding onto the hand of their two year old daughter. 

Wilbur shook his head as he felt his daughter, little Marigold Soot, grumble in his arms. His now-three year old daughter had never met his family before, with Wilbur too afraid to go back to his family with a child by his side. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of her, or his family, but it was more like he was ashamed of _himself_ , though he was reluctant to admit that fact.

Single parents were rare these days. Sally’s family had blamed her death on him. Would there be a chance that his family would do the same?

“Da!” Marigold muttered sleepily. “‘M cold.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Wilbur said to her softly. He had already laid his own jacket over her body. Letting his head dip down, he scented her, only pulling away when Marigold smelled heavily of the ocean and strawberries, and when she started giggling as she tried to push him away.

“Da!” Marigold said again, though this time with much more energy, and much more playfulness to her voice. “I can see home!”

Looking up sharply, Wilbur noticed that, throughout that entire time, his feet had moved on their own, and he was now just a few steps away from his old home. His breath hitched.

Was he ready? No, not really. But would he be ready for his daughter? Absolutely.

“Are you ready to meet your grandpa and your uncles, Mari?” he whispered. Marigold nodded eagerly.

“Mhmm!” she hummed, wriggling about. Wilbur laughed and let her stand on her own two feet, trying to ease his own nerves without Marigold noticing.

“Then let’s go knock on the door.”

Despite the chilly autumn wind, all Wilbur could feel was the sweat on his forehead and his palms as he gently led his daughter to stand in front of the door. Marigold looked up at him curiously, and he smiled.

“Don’t you want to knock on the door?” Marigold lit up upon his words, and excitedly began hitting her fists against the door. Her delight was evident in her expressions, as she giggled lightly.

“Go away!” he heard a familiar, if slightly deeper, voice call out in annoyance. Wilbur quickly pulled Marigold back into his arms as the door opened to reveal Tommy, much more taller, and looking much more annoyed as he put the keys into his pocket. “Prime, we don’t want your fuckin’-”

His sentence slowly died away as he looked up, and Wilbur offered a small smile as Tommy gaped at him. He shifted his stance slightly when Marigold moved to get a better look.

“It’s been a long time,” he said. “Hello, Tommy.”

“Wilbur?” his voice broke in the middle of that simple word. “Wilbur, you’re…”

“Home,” Wilbur finished for him, slightly nervous at even saying that word. “Yeah. I’m, uh, back now.”

Tommy took a step forward, faltering at the sight of the girl in his arms. Wilbur gently put Marigold down with a whispered warning to not stray from his side, opened his arms, and let Tommy collide with him.

Even after so many years, Tommy’s scent still stayed the same. Cinnamon apple and dew filled his nose, and Wilbur buried his head into his younger — and still shorter, thankfully — brother’s hair. He could feel something wet soaking his jumper, and only hugged him tighter. 

“I missed you,” Tommy admitted quietly, being vulnerable for once. “I stayed in your room for a long time whenever you left. Not that you’d know, but…”

“It’s alright, Toms,” Wilbur whispered back, not daring to speak any louder than the volume Tommy was using, and not daring to let go either. “I understand. I missed you a lot too.”

It was only when he felt an insistent tug to his jumper and a quiet but familiar gasp, that he reluctantly let go. He spotted Techno instantly; his twin now had longer hair, tied in a braid, and he was wearing a poet shirt and long black pants. Techno stared at him, a cup of coffee in his hand, and a book in the other.

“Hi, Tech,” Wilbur greeted, a little awkwardly. He wasn’t sure what to say; what do you say to family when you’d been gone for as long as he had, anyways? 

“Isn’t it chilly out there?” to anyone else, Techno’s voice would’ve been heard as monotone, but to Wilbur, even despite years of separation, he could still hear the slight shakiness to his voice. “Come in, Wilbur.”

“Coming, coming,” he stepped inside, feeling _something_ settle into his body as he relaxed in his old childhood home. Marigold was looking around in innocent curiosity, eyes shining in glee.

Techno placed down his cup and his book, and Wilbur let Marigold stand on the floor as he tentatively opened his arms for a hug.

“Hug?” he offered. “I mean, you won’t have to- it’s not necessary-”

Wilbur didn’t get to finish his sentence before Techno was already hugging him in turn. His twin had never been big on physical affection before, so this was a little unusual, but it was nice.

Techno’s familiar scent of gunpowder and cherries filled the air, his happiness clearly showing through it, and Wilbur couldn’t help but laugh a little more, squeezing him in a tighter hug, only letting go when he heard Tommy let out a shout and a curse.

He turned around to see Tommy backing up away from Marigold, who was just looking at Tommy in confusion.

“She bit me!” his brother shouted.

“Did not!” Marigold whined.

Techno cleared his throat. “So uh, who is this girl?”

“Oh, right,” Wilbur quickly lifted Marigold back into his arms. After scenting her a little more, despite her slight whining, he turned her around.

“This is Marigold, and she’s my daughter,” he introduced, lifting up his squirming bundle of delight by the arms. Marigold giggled, smiling shyly under Tommy and Techno’s wide eyes. “Mari, say hello to your Uncle Tommy and your Uncle Techno.”

“Hello!” Marigold wiggled her hands in an attempt of a wave. “Da, put me down!”

Wilbur laughed, and did just that. “You’re just too cute to not hold all the time,” he teased.

At that, Marigold grinned, nodding. “Uh huh!”

Wilbur’s heart melted, and he cooed. Marigold was always so cute, who could blame him for being so affectionate with her?

“You had sex?!” Tommy exclaimed loudly. Wilbur rolled his eyes.

“I’m 23, Tommy. Not 13,” he said exasperatedly. “I’m old enough for this.”

“Sex?” Marigold repeated, and Wilbur quickly hushed her. 

“That’s a bad word, Mari,” he said, aiming a glare at Tommy, a warning to not say such things in the presence of his daughter. “Don’t repeat that, okay?”

Marigold nodded, though he knew she would probably ask him more questions later on.

“Who?” Techno asked. It took a while before Wilbur realised what he was asking.

“It’s a long story,” Wilbur winces, before quickly rectifying his sentence when Techno’s expression darkened. “Not like that! It was all consensual, don’t worry. I- we liked each other. We wanted this.”

At those words, Techno relaxed. “So the reason why you were gone…”

“Was because of Mari, yeah,” Wilbur confirmed. “I didn’t want to upset her sense of permanence when she was still so young.”

“She doesn’t look like you at all,” Tommy commented. 

And it was true. Marigold had inherited Sally’s pretty red hair and clear blue eyes. If someone had only looked at surface level, they would’ve thought the two weren’t related at all. Wilbur didn’t find that fact as bad as it sounded.

“Yes I do!” Marigold pouted. “Da!”

“You think so?” 

“Mhm! Where’s grandpa?”

All three brothers blinked at that sudden remark. 

“Actually, yeah, where’s Phil?” Wilbur asked with a slight frown. “Is he- has he gone off adventuring again?”

“He’s at the markets,” Techno responded, settling back down onto his chair, and taking a long sip from his cup. “He’s supposed to be back any minute now.”

And by ‘any minute’, fate apparently decided to interpret it as ‘right now’.

“I’m home!” Wilbur barely had time to prepare himself before the door was opening, and a figure stopped in the doorway.

Phil gazed back at him, black wings spread out behind him, staring wide-eyed. Wilbur wiped his sweaty palms on his jumper, and breathed in.

“Pretty wings!” Marigold shouted, being the first one to break the silence. “Da, there’s pretty wings!”

“Yup,” Wilbur agreed faintly. “Those sure are pretty wings, aren’t they?”

“Wilbur,” Phil called out, stepping in and closing the door. Wilbur breathed in shakily, again. Behind, he could hear Tommy furiously whispering to Techno about how awkward all of this was.

Phil opened his mouth to say something more, but was promptly distracted by Marigold pulling on his long cloak.

“Wings!” she said excitedly, practically bouncing on her two feet. “Pretty wings!”

“And who are you?” Phil knelt down to face Marigold, though he was still taller than her, as Marigold stared in awe at his wings.

“And who are you?” Marigold parroted back.

Phil’s eyes flickered upwards to him, and Wilbur swallowed nervously. He could feel both Techno and Tommy staring at him in silence, probably wondering what he would do.

“Phil,” Wilbur started awkwardly, gesturing to Marigold. “My daughter, Marigold Soot.”

“You look old,” Marigold told Phil, despite her earlier admiration with his wings. Phil immediately burst out laughing upon hearing that. Amidst Tommy’s own cackles, Wilbur quickly knelt down and faced her.

“That’s your grandpa, Mari,” Wilbur whispered. “You remember what I told you about him?”

“Ohhh,” Marigold gasped. She looked back up at Phil, this time with a smile. “You’re _my_ old grandpa?”

“Well, I’m definitely not old,” Phil chuckled. “I’m a- I’m still very young, Marigold.”

“Woah,” Marigold breathed out. “Da, he’s not old!”

“Don’t let him lie to you like that, Marie-Gold,” Tommy squatted down to tell Marigold, 100% seriously. Wilbur smothered a laugh in the sleeves of his jumper at the sight of Tommy describing just how much Phil had ‘lied’, all the while with Marigold standing there, nodding along with as much seriousness as a three year old.

“How old is she?” Phil asked him softly.

“Three,” Wilbur whispered back. Then, raising his voice ever so slightly, “Right, Mari? You’re three years old, aren’t you?”

“Yup!” Marigold cheered. “I’m three!”

“Pogchamp!” Tommy replied, just as enthusiastically, having seemingly warmed up to his niece in a matter of minutes. Techno was standing slightly further away, but still watching Marigold like a hawk.

It was nice to see that his brothers would protect Marigold for him if it ever came to that.

Wilbur froze when a hand landed in his shoulder gently.

“We need to talk, Will,” Phil cut in gently. “What’s been going on, mate?”

Shit. He had forgotten the original reason why he was here.

“Right,” Wilbur nodded, ignoring the panic that threatened to rise up in his throat. “Mari, I’m gonna leave you with your uncles for a while, alright? No more biting either. You can ask your Uncle Techno for stories if you’re really bored, he knows a lot.”

“Really?” Marigold turned to Techno with sparkling eyes. “I want stories!”

Wilbur glanced back at Marigold one last time as he followed Phil to his old room. His daughter looked so happy and content to be listening to her uncles, and Wilbur wouldn’t want to rip away that happiness for her.

Time to convince Phil to let him stay, somehow.

“What happened with you and Sally?” Phil asked him concernedly, sitting the two of them down on his old bed. “I remembered you always talking about her. Did something go wrong between you two?”

Wilbur laughed, though it didn’t sound happy. “You could say that. Sally’s… she’s not in my life anymore.”

“...divorced? Or dead?”

“What do you think?” Wilbur snorted. His hand came up to rub the silver ring still on his finger, after everything that happened. “I wouldn’t be caught dead with anything of hers if she was my ex-wife. I know my in-laws definitely preferred it that way.”

“What do you mean?” Phil frowned. 

Wilbur sighed. Where would he even start from? It was no secret to him or Sally that her family didn’t exactly like who he was. They had more conservative views, and had thought that Sally would eventually find a Beta to settle down with, not an Alpha like Wilbur. Their relationship definitely took a steep turn when Sally died.

It had been a struggle for him to even keep just a few of Sally’s things for Marigold.

“You know, they’re _that_ sort of people,” he sighed. “I don’t think they quite appreciated me dating and actually marrying Sally. They claimed they loved her. Although, I don’t think they loved her enough to offer to take care of her fucking daughter.”

A sharp inhale. “Did they…?”

“They sold the fucking house,” Wilbur spat. “They said they didn’t want any reminders of her death. They told me that I had tried harder, if only I had noticed her declining health sooner, maybe Mari would’ve gotten to grow up with her mother.”

The worst part about all of this was probably the fact that, in some way, Wilbur believed their words.

The scent of lemon in the air became more tangy, smelt more sour, and Wilbur coughed lightly. He knew Phil was angry, could see it in the way his muscles were more tense than usual.

“It’s not your fault, Will,” he said. “You know that, right?”

“I know,” Wilbur responded. “I know.”

Still, guilt churned in his gut. If only he had noticed earlier, if only he had taken more precautions, if only he hadn’t listened to Sally’s dismissals of her own health, if only he had tried _harder-_

He froze as he was pulled into a hug. It was soft, it was warm, it was familiar, it was _home._

Phil still smelt like ink and lemon, and Wilbur could already feel himself tearing up as he clutched his father’s coat with tight fists, blinking back tears.

 _Fuck_ , he missed Sally. He missed her rose and ocean breeze scent, missed her bright, warm smile, missed the way she would sing to Marigold whenever their daughter got fussy. He missed the long walks they would take on the beach, missed the way her laughter sounded, missed how her hand fit perfectly in his. He missed _everything_ about his wife.

It wasn’t fair that she had been taken away from him so early. It wasn’t fair that little Marigold would never get to remember her mother properly.

It just wasn’t _fair._

“I don’t-” he tried to say, but the words just weren’t forming in his mouth right now. “I just- I miss her, Phil, I want to- please just let-”

“Stay however long you want, mate,” Phil told him gently. “We’ll help you with Marigold. You can build a grave for Sally if you want to. We’ll be here for you.”

And in the warm embrace of his father, with the light scent of ink and lemon in the air, Wilbur started to cry.

**Author's Note:**

> if you look closely enough, you can see which parts I wrote first
> 
> leave some kudos & a comment if you enjoyed maybe? feel free to just leave kudos if you don’t want to leave a comment though :D


End file.
